Kettering Pleasure Park receives fourth consecutive award

Stephanie Burbage

A Kettering park has received the prestigious Green Flag Award for the fourth year running.

Organisers say the Rockingham Road Pleasure Park has consistently been well-maintained and well-managed, offering excellent facilities to all of its visitors. The park has been awarded the honour for the fourth time and is one of just 1,424 parks and green spaces across the country to receive a Green Flag Award this year.

David Meagher, from the Friends of Rockingham Road Pleasure Park, said the award was a fantastic honour and a good way to reward everyone who works towards its upkeep.

“It’s absolutely awesome,” he said. “We are definitely pleased with the result. The community, working with the council, has achieved so much.”

He also thanked local residents, schools, businesses, All Saints Church and the Midland Band Club for their contributions to the park.

Kettering borough councillor Michael Brown spoke of his delight on the park recieving the award, adding: “I am exceptionally pleased to see that our local ward park has again been awarded a Green Flag making it one of the best in the country. This is down to the strong partnership between the council and the Friends Of group working in tandem for the community. Things are only going to get better up the park with more facilities and play equipment planned for the near future.”

Valerie Hitchman, the Head of Community Services at Kettering council, thanked everyone involved with the maintenance of the park.

“I am really pleased that the park has received the award for another year,” she said. “The community are really involved in working with us in this important green space in the Borough.

“The plans for the new play area and outdoor fitness equipment that are to be installed in September will make a great site even better.”

A £54,000 upgrade of the park has been planned for September with the installation of a new bespoke outdoor gym and major improvements to the children’s play area.

The park could even go on to see themselves recieving a further award from Green Flag, the People’s Choice Award which is voted for by the public. You can vote for the Rockingham Road Pleasure Park by visiting the Green flag website www.greenflag.org.uk to register your vote.

The Green Flag scheme was set up in 1996 and their vision is that by 2050, 50 per cent of green spaces in England and Wales will be to the Green Flag standard. This would mean 15,000 sites could be awarded by the organisation.